Evidence of meeting #17 for Citizenship and Immigration in the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was you're.
A video is available from Parliament.
Liberal
Lena Metlege Diab Liberal Halifax West, NS
It was for interim housing measures—for the fact that we had a large number of asylum claims. As I said to you, the good news for 2025 is they have gone down by a third.
Conservative
Fred Davies Conservative Niagara South, ON
As to your use of interim housing, it really is hotels and different—
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Julie Dzerowicz
Thank you, Mr. Davies, and thank you, Minister. The time is up.
The final person for this round is you, Mr. Connors, for five minutes.
Liberal
Paul Connors Liberal Avalon, NL
Thank you very much.
As I was saying, it's nice to be here today to discuss immigration issues.
As for the personal attacks and everything, I'm on two other committees and don't see those things. A wise person once told me that you debate the issues and the policy, and you don't debate the individual. I think it would be wise for some people around the table to listen to that.
Minister, in my area, Newfoundland and Labrador, and in many other rural areas around the country, there's been a lot of talk and discussion regarding the temporary foreign worker program. We know it plays an important role in certain sectors of our economy in rural and remote areas, such as the fishing industry and the agricultural industry, and in many other sectors.
I know we've discussed that there are three million temporary residents. In my area and in many parts of my riding and Newfoundland and Labrador, fish plant businesses would not be able to operate without temporary foreign workers. They would be shut down.
What can you tell us about the number of new workers coming in through this program, and what role do you see this program in as part of the broader immigration plan?
Liberal
Lena Metlege Diab Liberal Halifax West, NS
Thank you very much. I know you're subbing in, but welcome.
I have heard extensively from members of Parliament, and not all from the governing party; I've heard from others as well. I've heard from many stakeholders, whether they're the people who work in these industries, the businesses or the chambers of commerce. I've also heard extensively from rural communities and really small communities in Canada in many different parts of the country. They recognize that there is a role for temporary workers, and the program is designed to address the short-term labour and skill shortages when no Canadians are available to fill those jobs.
They are here to help with our economic benefits. Again, our role would be to protect those workers, but also to ensure that our communities—particularly communities like yours, where there are not Canadian-born people or Canadians available—fill a lot of these sectors. We recognize that. We work with ESDC, Employment and Social Development Canada, which is responsible for introducing measures to manage the volumes and help better align them with those industries and communities.
Where IRCC fits in is that we do the processing. There are caps under the temporary foreign worker program, but there are also exemptions for food processing workers, including fish processors, and they have been there for a long time.
I come from Nova Scotia. When I was a minister provincially, I went across the province a number of times and spoke to fish processors and the plants we have in different parts of Nova Scotia. They desperately need these workers. They rely on them, communities rely on them and Canadians rely on them, and this government and I, as minister, understand that.
That is why I continue to work with the provinces, the territories, the municipalities and the many stakeholders to ensure that we are there to support not just the larger cities, but the small communities. I understand very well what it means to work together and collaborate to ensure that we have success for our Canadian population, our communities and the people who are coming here, and that they are taken care of.
I'll tell you one other thing I learned. For most of them, whether they're in fish or agriculture, a lot of businesses build homes for them. They house them and take care of them like their own. In the case where something goes wrong, ESDC has a program and officers to ensure that that is done.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Julie Dzerowicz
Thank you, Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Connors.
We've now completed three rounds, so we will now begin our fourth round with Ms. Rempel Garner for five minutes.
Conservative
Michelle Rempel Conservative Calgary Nose Hill, AB
Thank you, Chair.
You're asking Parliament to give your department about $600 million in extra money for the interim federal health program. That is the program by which you give a lot of supplemental benefits, like vision care and mental health supports, even to people who have failed asylum claims.
Do you think it's fair that, let's say, a Canadian senior who has paid taxes all their life gets fewer types of supplementary benefits than an asylum seeker who has a failed claim? Maybe they're a bogus asylum claimant.
Why should I give you $600 million for bogus asylum claimants when Canadian seniors can't get basic health care? How does that make any sense to you?
Liberal
Lena Metlege Diab Liberal Halifax West, NS
There are a couple of things. One, if you take a look at the budget, we have introduced a copay to handle some of that concern—
Conservative
Liberal
Lena Metlege Diab Liberal Halifax West, NS
As well, the dollar amount that you're referring to stems from the fact that it is an interim federal health program where the volumes are up from years ago.
Conservative
Michelle Rempel Conservative Calgary Nose Hill, AB
Yes, that's because you hashtagged “WelcomeToCanada” to 300,000, 500,000 or 600,000 people who have bogus asylum claims.
I'm aware that the numbers are up and that's why you're asking us for.... I just asked you if it's fair. You're asking taxpayers to send you $600 million to pay for things like orthotics and vision care for people who have bogus asylum claims and are still in the country. Is that fair? Why would I do that? That seems dumb to me.
Liberal
Lena Metlege Diab Liberal Halifax West, NS
Listen, I realize it's not something you would do, but I can tell you that this money goes to people who are here because of human trafficking. It goes to women who are here because of domestic violence—
Conservative
Conservative
Michelle Rempel Conservative Calgary Nose Hill, AB
Why are you giving it to people with failed asylum claims?
Liberal
Lena Metlege Diab Liberal Halifax West, NS
These are temporary...that they receive. It's interim health measures—
Conservative
Michelle Rempel Conservative Calgary Nose Hill, AB
If somebody has a failed asylum claim, they can still receive federal benefits. Why? That's dumb.
Liberal
Lena Metlege Diab Liberal Halifax West, NS
We are introducing measures to ensure that we limit and curb those. They are measures that you are obstructing, quite frankly.
Conservative
Michelle Rempel Conservative Calgary Nose Hill, AB
Why don't you just cut them off?
Yes, I'm obstructing them. I think it's completely insane that you are giving better health benefits to people with bogus asylum claims than to Canadian seniors. I'm happy to obstruct that. Why wouldn't you obstruct that? Why wouldn't you say this is banana crackers? Stop it.
Liberal
Lena Metlege Diab Liberal Halifax West, NS
No, you're obstructing the fact that we're trying to ensure that does not get done.
Conservative
Michelle Rempel Conservative Calgary Nose Hill, AB
No, you're just asking.... If you look in the document you have in front of you, you've asked me to give you more than half a billion dollars for health benefits for people who have no legal reason to be in the country and who you can't deport.
Make the business case. Pitch me. It's Shark Tank. Let's do it.
Liberal
Lena Metlege Diab Liberal Halifax West, NS
These are costs to cover interim health measures—emergency measures—for people who are coming from war-torn countries who need to be—
Conservative